Aqueduct: Dee Dee's Comet would relish muddy track in Friday feature

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Her versatile running style and the ability to handle a wet surface may give Dee Dee’s Comet an advantage in Friday’s featured second-level optional $30,000 claimer for New York-breds at Aqueduct.

Racing is scheduled to resume Friday after three dark days, but a winter storm that was to begin early Thursday morning and last until early Friday morning is likely to create a wet surface for Friday’s card, which include a $25,766 pick six carryover.

On a wet track here Jan. 18, Dee Dee’s Comet actually finished first in this condition but was disqualified for a bumping incident near the wire with Make the Moment, who was elevated by the stewards from second to first.

“She definitely interfered with the other horse, but then the other horse came out on her. But where that happened it was hard to tell,” said Jim Ryerson, who trains Dee Dee’s Comet for owner/breeder Patricia Generazio.

Dee Dee’s Comet raced on the lead that day, making the front through modest fractions of 24.44 seconds and 48.90 over a sealed muddy track. Two starts prior, Dee Dee’s Comet won a first-level allowance over a muddy Aqueduct main track, rallying from second-to-last in a 10-horse field.

“Her better races are running at horses,” Ryerson said. “She ran hard that day. . . . She’s adaptable pace-wise to every situation and she’s a trier.”

Friday’s $54,000 race, at 5 1/2 furlongs, looks to have ample pace with the likes of Bit Bustin, Saichi Sweepin, and She’s Stone’s Sis in the field.

Your Time Is Up also showed versatility winning her last two starts, a $35,000 claimer from just off the pace and a statebred first-level allowance on the lead. Breaking from the rail, she is likely to show speed again.

Uncle Southern was beaten a length when third in the same race from which Dee Dee’s Comet was disqualified.

“I thought she ran well,” said Linda Rice, trainer of Uncle Southern. “She’s better on the grass than she is on the dirt. We’ll see if we can win that condition on the dirt while we wait for the turf to show up.”

Saratoga Snacks gets break

Trainer Gary Sciacca has taken Saratoga Snacks out of training and plans to target a spring and summer campaign for the 5-year-old New York-bred son of Tale of the Cat owned by Hall of Fame football coach Bill Parcells.

Saratoga Snacks was beaten a head by Zivo in the Whodam Stakes at Aqueduct on Jan. 19, a race Sciacca was thinking of using as a prep for next Monday’s Grade 3 General George at Laurel Park.

With Saratoga Snacks having a history of foot issues, Sciacca decided not to run him the remainder of the winter.

“Why kill him here for the winter and have nothing left for spring and summer?” said Sciacca, adding that Parcells “loves running at Saratoga.”

Sciacca said he hopes to have Saratoga Snacks ready to run in the New York-bred Showcase program on May 31.